Gothia Power to carry out feasibility study for linking Baltics to European power grid

Litgrid announced the signing of the contract in the state bulletin Valstybes Žinios.

Gdansk-based Energy Research Institute was the runner-up in the bidding for the feasibility study, with a 1.43-million-euro bid. A bid from Finland's VTT was rejected as non-complying with the qualification requirements.

The feasibility study, which is to be completed by the autumn of 2013, will analyze and assess possible scenarios for connecting the Baltic electricity systems to the European continental network for operation in a synchronous mode. The European Union is providing 50 percent of the funding for the feasibility study and the remaining costs are divided up equally by Lithuanian, Latvian, and Estonian electricity transmission system operators.

Litgrid is responsible for a full-fledged integration of the Lithuanian electricity energy system into the European continental grid. Plans call for linking Lithuania to the European network in 2020.

As the electricity systems of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania still remain integrated into Russia's IPS/UPS network, the management of the power system and the functioning of the market are not aligned with the requirements of EU third energy package.